What are the factors that distinguish difference between practicing Vipassana and the 2nd Samatha dhyana?

I think this is an obviously easy question to answer by referencing a quote in a book. And I also think the distinguishing factors are subtle and are worth noting in accuracy based on personal experience. What do you think?

The only factor I see is that in the 2nd dhyana, there is a subtle effort to position and freeze awareness upon the object. This effort is a refined remnant from the 1st dhyana. Vipassana does not do this.

That is the only factor of difference I know of. Do any more exist?

howdy odl.
i think the question is a bit strange, myself. at the second jhana vitaka / vikara (really efforting your attenion upon the object) drop away and leads to the ease that defines that jhana. one is still focused but the effort falls away or diminishes to the background. that is classice jhana description.

vipassana is parsing all of this stuff , seeking and differentiating the distinctions which come up. the one is a solidifying practice the other a dissembling process if you will.

to say that this is the "only common factor" is, i think innacurate. there are factors that are often not mentioned in the simplified descriptions of jhanas like "singleness of mind" which exist o up through the jhanas.

tom

thanks for the input, tom.